NGT seeks report from govt.on safety in firecracker units

The Southern Bench of the National Green Tribunal has asked the Tamil Nadu government and the Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO) to file a detailed account of how firecracker units in the State handle safety and employment.

The direction comes in response to repeated explosions that have claimed multiple lives in recent years.

The Bench, on Thursday, criticised the widespread use of untrained labourers in hazardous operations, observing that most accidents could have been prevented with proper supervision and skill training.

It directed the authorities to submit any existing rules that define how skilled and unskilled workers should be engaged, and to establish clear guidelines where none currently exist. The issue is part of several connected cases concerning frequent blasts in fireworks units across Sivakasi, Virudhunagar, and surrounding districts. The matter has been posted for final hearing on December 23, with the Bench warning that it will issue firm orders if the necessary documents are not provided by then. Government data presented before the Bench show that since 2022, at least 134 people have died and 89 have been injured in firecracker unit accidents in Virudhunagar district alone. Many of these incidents occurred in units operating under PESO licences, raising doubts about the adequacy of its inspection systems and monitoring methods.

The bench also instructed the State and PESO to furnish details of inspections carried out during the past five years, along with information about safety training and compliance checks. It questioned whether the use of unskilled or untrained workers is penalised strongly enough to deter violations, such as through suspension of licences or closure of unsafe facilities.

The bench said the situation demands a unified safety framework — one that ensures qualified supervisors, ongoing worker training, mandatory insurance, and strict enforcement against defaulters.